Filing device



June 24, 1930. E. A. HORNER FILING DEVICE Eiled OCT 13, 1926 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES EDWARD A. HORNER, OF CHAMBERSBU'RG, PENNSYLVANIA' FILING DEVICE ,Application filed October 13, 1926. Serial No.'141,358. I

a This invention relates to contact filing devices and particularly to devices for filing the contacts of the distributor of an automo-,

bile. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a structure which may be supported on the distributor casing for filing the contacts in situ. Another object is to provide a structure by which the contacts may be filed flat so as to engage throughout their faces, regardless of the looseness of mounting of the contact-carrying lever. A still further objectis to provide a structure which will utilize. files of differing degrees of coarseness, will facilitate the positioning of either file between the contact points, and will distribute the wear over the surfaces of the files. A still further object is to provide a structure adapted for use with various distributors having slight differences in constructional details, and other objects of the invention and novel features will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings in which such embodiment is illustrated and in which 7 Figure 1 is a plan view of the structure embodying my invention in place upon the open top of a distributor casing; v

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section, partly in elevation, of the structure shown in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of certain of the parts shown'in Figs. 1 and 2; and,

Fig. 4 is a viewin perspective of other parts shown in Figs. 1 and'2, the parts being shown as disassembled.

In the drawings, a distributor casing 11 is shown, having a central vertical shaft "12 which carries a cam 13. A standard 14 is secured to the bottom of the casing 11 and rigidly supports a fixed contact 15 which is laterally adjustable therein. A movable contact 16 is mounted on a contact lever 17 which is pivoted at 18 to astud, projecting upwardly from the bottom of the casing, and is held in'place by an overlying clip 19. A spring 20 surrounds the stud on which the lever is pivoted and engages the lever to normally hold contact 16 against contact 15, it being understood that the cam 13 1s rotated by its shaft 12 and engages an intermediate point of the lever 17 to intermittently separate contact 16 from the contact 15;

The sparking occasioned at the contacts 15 and 16 tends to pit them and cause them to stick, and their coacting faces must be abraded so as to meet flatwise with no meeting edge or high points Which would localize the spark; To this end, a frame 21 is provided having an opening 22 to receive the end of the shaft 12, a depending skirt por tion 23 through which a radially directed clamping screw 24: projects, and an abutment screw 25 which projects downwardly through the frame 21 to engage an abutment within the casing 1'1 and facilitate positioning the frame circumferentially upon the casing. A flanged bushing 26-is shown as inserted in the opening 22 to fit the shaft 12 and threaded openings 27 are formed in the frame 2lto receive the abutment screw 25, it. being apparent that different bushings may be used, and the abutment screw can be readily moved, to adapt the structure to the various sizes of distributor shafts and the varying location of abutments Withinfthe distributorc'asings. f

A lug or lugs 28 project upwardly from the frame 21 and receive a shaft129 to one. end of which there is rigidly secured a flat guide plate 30 of uniform width, the other end having an opening to receive afcotter pin 31. A spring 32 surrounds theshaft between a washer 33 and the end of the lug l 28, being held in place bythe cotter pin, so 7 that the shaft and its guide plate 30 are rotatably and slidably mounted on the frame. A slide member 34 is provided inthe form of a flattened tube of such dimensions as to fit on the guide plate 30 and having 7 an opening in the rear Wall wide enough to receive the shaft 29. Adjacent their center the rear wall portions of the slide member 34 are cut away-at 35, and a clamp 36 of U- shape is formed with inwardly projecting ends 37 to fit within the openings 35. A flat file 38 and a fiat abrading stone. 39 are placed end'to end, as shown in Figs. '2 and 4, and are clamped between the flat front wall of the slide 34 and a metal plate/l0 by means of a screw 41 which passes through the clamp to engage the plate, a sheet 42 of paper or fiber or similar yielding material being inserted, if desired, on either or both sides .of the file and abrading stone to prevent slipping.

It will be understood that the word file is used herein to include any suitable abrading element, and while it is preferable to use abrading elements of differing degrees of coarseness, a single elementmay be used if desired. The top having been removed from the distributor casing, the frame 21 is placed thereon with the proper bushing 26 receiving the shaft 12 of the distributor. The frame is swung around until the screw 25 engages its abutment in the casing, and the screw 24: is tightened to hold the frame in place, thus positioning the guide plate 30 above and slightly back of the fixed contact 15. The slide 34, with the abrading members 38 and 39 clamped thereto, is engaged upon the guide plate 30, the shaft 29 being slid forward against the action of the spring 32 until the member 38 can be inserted between contacts 15 and 16. The contacts are then filed, preferably by rocking'the file and its slide with the guide plate 30, the thrust being directly toward or from the pivotal support of the lever 17 with no tendency to move the contact 16 vertically. By moving the slide 34 on the guide plate 30, the wear can be distributed over the surface of the file, and the slide may be readily swung around ormay be removed and reversed to use the other file or abrading member 39. It will'be apparent that the pressures between the file and the contacts 15 and 16 are determined, respectively, by the springs 32 and 20,.and that by grasping the lever 17 and the end of the shaft 29 such pressures may be increased. I p

The device obviates the removal of the contacts from the casing, which is a tedious and difficult procedure, and facilitates filing the contacts to form .flat faces meeting throughout their extent. It is adapted for use with distributors differing widely in the minor details of construction, and permits easy replacement of the abrading members, as Well as distribution of the wear, so as to utilize practically their entire surface.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A device for filing the contacts of a distributor while in place in a distributor casing, comprising a frame having an openmg to receive the shaft of the distributor, means for clamping said frame in place upon the distributor casing, a file member, and a carrier to which said file member is rigidly secured, said carrier being supported on said frame for rocking movement relative to said frame and the casing. A

2. A device for filing the contacts of a distributor while in place in a distributor able relative to said frame and having an angularly extending portion, and a file member slidably mounted on the angularly extending portion of said guide member for movement through the plane of said frame into and out of the distributor casing.

4. A-portable device for filing the contacts of a distributor while in place in a distributor casing, comprising a frame, means detachably securing said frame to the casing, a member mounted for rocking movement relative to said frame and having a portion extending at an angle to the rocking axis, and a file member mounted on said angularly extending portion to project through the plane of said frame into the casing and movable with said rocking member relative to said frame and'said casing. 5. A device for filing the contacts of a distributor while in place in a distributor casing, comprising a substantially flat frame adapted to be detachable supported on the distributor casing, a file member, and means for mounting said file member for rocking movemfent'about an axis substantially parallel to'the plane of said frame comprising a member rotatably secured to said frame.

6. A device for filing the contacts of a distributor while in place in a distributor casing, comprising a substantially flat frame adapted to be mounted on the casing, a'guide member carried bysaid frame for rocking movement aboutan axis substantially paral-' lel 'to the plane of said frame,'a member slidable relativeto said guide member and rotatable therewith, and a file member secured to said slidable member and adapted to project through the plane of said frame.- 7 A device for filing the contacts of a distributor while in place in a distributor casing, comprising a frame adapted to be detachably supported on the distributor casing, a file member, and a carrier to which said file member is secured, and guiding means journaled upon said frame and guiding said carrier and said file for sliding movement relative to said frame and for rocking movement about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of said frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARD A; HORNER. 

